DATE: Tuesday, March 18, 1997               TAG: 9703180318

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B5   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY CHRISTOPHER DINSMORE AND JACK DORSEY, STAFF WRITERS 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   53 lines

CONTAINER SHIP BACKS INTO NORFOLK WHARF; DAMAGE MINIMAL

The Copacabana, a 584-foot container ship, slammed backward into the wharf at Norfolk International Terminals Monday after apparently losing power or going into reverse as it tried to leave.

No one was injured in the accident, which occurred about 2:50 p.m. The Coast Guard is investigating.

``We have an investigator aboard to find out if it was equipment failure . Washburn.

The Copacabana's rudder was damaged in the accident.

The 13-year-old cargo ship is operated by the Brazilian line Empresa de Navagaceo Alianca S.A. in trade between the U.S. East Coast and South America. The ship's agent in Hampton Roads, Scott Schubart of Inchcape Shipping Services, could not be reached for comment.

While the damage to the pier is still being surveyed, it is expected to be minimal, said Rick Knapp, assistant director for Virginia International Terminals Inc., which operates the state-owned marine terminals in Hampton Roads.

``It looks bad, but it's not generally very bad,'' said Knapp, who expected to have to replace some concrete and pilings in the worst case.

A terminal worker said the ship's stern actually rested on the concrete pier for a brief time immediately after the incident. Its bow was pointed down toward an outgoing tide.

``The ship is on the dock,'' he said. ``It's quite a sight.''

The Copacabana had slipped back into the water by the time Coast Guard investigators arrived. A three-member investigating team from the Marine Safety Office arrived within an hour.

``There doesn't appear to be any holes in the hull, or any pollution,'' Washburn said. ``Damages appear to be restricted to the rudder.''

The ship was being moved to another nearby pier where repairs would be made.

Washburn said it was unclear what caused the accident. The ship was getting under way at the time and may have lost power just as it dropped its mooring lines, allowing a stiff westerly wind to push it back onto the pier.

Port operations were interrupted briefly by the accident, and the section of wharf that was hit could be reopened quickly.

``Unless we find some damage underneath the pier, we'll just clean up the concrete and it will be business as usual,'' Knapp said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by X-Wind/Special to The Virginian-Pilot

The Copacabana backed into a pier at Norfolk International Terminals

Monday. It was actually sitting atop the dock for a while, but later

slipped back into the water. No one was injured in the accident. KEYWORDS: ACCIDENT BOAT NORFOLK INTERNATIONAL TERMINALS

CONTAINER SHIP

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